The curvature of the wakeboard from one tip to the other is a significant design feature in determining how much lift a rider will achieve when jumping off of a wake. This longitudinal arch feature is well known in the industry as a wakeboard's “rockerline.” A smooth and shallow rockerline will generate more speed up the wake and a rider will be able to travel further horizontally. A more abrupt rockerline towards the tip of the board creates increased vertical height but reduced horizontal distance. Most wakeboards are designed with “twin tip” shapes in which the tip and the tail of the board are generally symmetrical. Generally, in twin tip designs, the rockerline in the front half of the board is also symmetrical with the rockerline in the back half of the board. As such, the lowest point in the rocker line is generally located at the center of the rider's stance.
Historically there have been two shapes of rockerlines: staged and continuous. A continuous rockerline is one uninterrupted curve along the longitudinal axis of the board. A staged rocker board is flat through a center section of the board. At the end of the board's flat spot the curvature of the rockerline increases rapidly to the tip and tail. In either design, a severe rocker means less board contact with the water towards the tip and tail of the board which can often create more drag or resistance for a rider as he/she glides on the water. This drag also hampers the rider's ability to “ollie” or jump from the water without the assistance of the wake. Further, with traditional rockerlines the rider ride with an uneven weight distribution, a rider is not jumping off the wake in as much of a solid, balanced, consistent position. Over time, this added pressure puts more strain on a rider's back leg. Also because of this Thus, a need exists for a new design of the longitudinal curve of a wakeboard that reduces drag while still providing sufficient vertical height when the rider jumps the wake and places the rider in a more ergonomic body position.